This article introduces the new features of Agilent Technologies, Inc.'s 5973N inert mass spectrometer detector and ChemStation software, which allows for operation of the ion source at higher temperatures, providing improvements in analysis. It also provides advice and examples on how to explore the utility of ion source temperature.
This document discusses the capability of the Agilent 5973N Inert MSD and ChemStation software to operate the ion source at temperatures up to 300 °C, compared to the standard 230 °C. It details how higher temperatures affect tuning results, background noise, and signal-to-noise ratios for specific analytes like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and coronene. The note highlights that while higher temperatures can improve response for late-eluting compounds, they also increase background noise, which may lower the signal-to-noise ratio in full-scan mode but can be beneficial in selected-ion-monitoring (SIM) mode for certain ions.
| Maximum Ion Source Temperature | 300 °C |
|---|---|
| Default Ion Source Temperature | 230 °C |
| Maximum Quadrupole Temperature | 200 °C |
The ion source temperature can be set to a maximum of 300 °C.
No, while signal increases, background noise also increases, which can result in a lower signal-to-noise ratio for full-scan acquisitions of certain compounds.